Andrea Baca ’26 returned to her home country of Peru this summer for an internship with the Museum of Contemporary Art, an opportunity offering the perfect blend of her Elon studies.
Being an international student, Andrea Baca ’26 spends the school year miles away from home. But this summer, Baca returned to her home country of Peru for an internship with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC Lima).
The opportunity was perfect for Baca who is studying music performance and arts administration with a minor in business administration at Elon.
“The MAC Lima is the only museum of contemporary art that Peru has,” said Baca. “So, I thought it would be interesting to apply.”
Founded in 2013, the MAC Lima is in the district of Barranco, described as a “traditional, cultural and cosmopolitan district.” Baca said the application process was simple and her dad was able to connect her with someone he knows at the museum.
Art for everyone
Part of her role as an intern is helping to make the museum more accessible to everyone – regardless of socioeconomic status, which includes finding more museum investors. She is also working to foster relationships with the nearby University of Engineering and Technology, bringing more students to the exhibits.
“Most of these students don’t even know they can come to the museum for free, which is amazing. We lack a strong museum culture in Peru,” said Baca. “In our museums, you will find few Peruvians, while in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, there are a lot of New Yorkers.”
The first in her family to study abroad, Baca chose Elon because of the Department of Music in Elon College, the College of Arts & Sciences.
“We have a lot of talent in Peru, but there are not a lot of opportunities,” said Baca. “I knew if I wanted to study music, I had to leave. One day I went to Google and typed in ‘best colleges for music’ and Elon popped up. I applied, visited and even met my now current voice teacher Polly Cornelius.”
‘Elon has become a part of me’
After her visit, Baca said she knew Elon was the right choice.
“I had a picture in my mind about what I want my college to look like, with the green areas and the feeling of a second home. I remember I got to Elon, and it felt like a family environment,” she said.
While she does sometimes miss the hustle and bustle of Lima, Baca said her transition to quieter Elon has been smooth. The education she is receiving has also prepared her well for the MAC Lima internship.
“Elon has become a part of me,” she said. “I wanted to support my music career by studying arts administration and those few arts administration classes that I have taken; they have helped me in my internship. I feel prepared and I’m always looking for more.”
The internship opportunity has opened even more questions for Baca, who could see herself getting a similar opportunity in the U.S.
“I’m really excited about this internship,” she said. “I can’t wait to do an analysis later about how a museum in Peru works versus how a museum or even an opera house operates in the U.S.”
While Baca still has some time before she graduates, she has her goals set on eventually going to Europe and performing in operas.